Islamabad, December 3: The Pakistan government will provide the coronavirus vaccine free of cost to its people and plans are afoot to start the immunisation drive by April next year, officials said on Thursday. Parliamentary Secretary on Health Nausheen Hamid said the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government has approved funds to purchase the vaccine doses.

"The PTI government will provide the coronavirus vaccines free of cost to the people. The government will start the vaccination from the second quarter of 2021," Hamid tweeted. Hamid said the phase III of clinical trials of Chinese vaccines was proceeding well and the shots would be available to the people soon. Pfizer Says COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout 'Can be Managed in India'.

Pakistan's coronavirus caseload rose to 4406,810 on Thursday after 3,499 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours. The Ministry of National Health Services, in an update, said 39 people had died due to COVID-19 in the last 24 hours. Now, the COVID-19 death toll stands at 8,205. Nearly 347,000 people have recovered from the disease, while 2,469 people are in critical conditions.

Authorities said 42,904 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, of whom 8.15 per cent tested positive. In total, 5,627,539 tests have been conducted in the country. On Tuesday, Pakistan's Cabinet approved USD 150 million to purchase coronavirus vaccines.